First case of Echinococcus multilocularis infection in a zoo-housed flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii).

A 33 month-old male flying squirrel kept in a zoo developed progressive dyspnea and died. Macroscopically, the liver and lung were enlarged with numerous nodular vesicles. Histologically, these organs were replaced by numerous collapsed vesicles demarcated by fibrous tissues. The cysts lined by a cellular, germinal layer contained numerous brood capsules with abundant production of well-developed protoscolices. Protoscolices were about 80-100 µm in diameter, and had hooks being visible as refractive structures. This zoo locates in the east of Hokkaido where is an endemic area of Echinococcus multilocularis infection. From epidemiology and pathological findings, this animal was diagnosed as E.multilocularis infection. This report describes the pathology of the first case of E. multilocularis infection in a flying squirrel.

Purulent necrotic dislocation of the hip joint associated with umbilical infection in a foal.

A 42-day-old heavy draft horse fell into sudden astasia. Significant swelling and heat sensation of the left femoral region were observed. Because of a friction sound in the left hip, we supposed that the hip joint was dislocated or the hip bone was fractured. Computed Tomography (CT) examination showed that the left hip joint was dislocated and the left femoral head was disjunct. We carried out a pathological autopsy, and made a diagnosis of the foal as fracture of the hip bone and femoral head with suppurative umbilical arteritis. Pathologic changes in the umbilical artery and hind leg were completely unilateral, suggesting that left umbilical arteritis spread to the blood circulation, causing arthritis and dislocation of the hip bone.

Calculation of photonic energy bands of TiO2 hollow spherical arrays.

The photonic energy bands of titanium dioxide (TiO2) hollow spherical arrays, which are self-assembled photonic crystals, were investigated. The finite-difference time domain (FDTD) method was applied to both the face-centred-cubic (fcc) and body-centred-cubic (bcc) packing structures of TiO2 hollow spherical arrays to determine the energy bands from the perspective of photoelectrode applications. Calculations were carried out on the basis of the TiO2 shell wall thickness. The spectral behaviour of light in the hollow spherical arrays was also studied, with particular interest devoted to the pseudogap found in one of the structures. A three-dimensional (3D) TiO2 hollow spherical array was then experimentally synthesized in three steps: the preparation of synthetic opal templates, replication by spin coating, and sintering. The diffuse scattering spectrum of the obtained array was finally measured and compared with the calculated photonic band structure.